


You'll Look At Me, With Eyes That See

by nobetterlove



Series: And I'll Be Your Lover, Too [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Bo is the best match maker, Dogs, M/M, Service Dogs, Should be titled: when dogs just know, Tony Stark-centric, peter is a gorgeous vet, tony is a doggy owner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 21:14:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28413711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nobetterlove/pseuds/nobetterlove
Summary: When Happy first mentioned getting a dog, Tony balked at the idea. After taking a look around his empty home, however, he started to warm up to the idea. With Happy's overly excited advice in hand, Tony takes a chance & peruses the local border collie rescue. When he brought the shy dog home, Tony never would've imagined the bond he would create - or the human connection that would follow.Or: Tony gets the smartest dog in the world.
Relationships: Peter Parker/Tony Stark
Series: And I'll Be Your Lover, Too [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2081052
Comments: 5
Kudos: 87





	You'll Look At Me, With Eyes That See

**Author's Note:**

> Hey friends! I'm back with a little Starker fluff - there's really not a lot better than Tony, Peter, & cute puppies; stick around to see what all the fuss is about!

Looking down Bo’s snoot, Tony sent out a good vibe towards Happy for the millionth time that day. 

When Happy initially mentioned the addition of a dog to the Stark household, Tony couldn’t say no fast enough. Despite being so his entire life, Tony liked being alone. The comfort of the normalcy of his everyday life revolved around the isolation and freedom the little cabin in upstate New York afforded him. He picked his current location specifically for that particular characteristic. Why ruin the carefully cultivated environment by adding another living, breathing thing to the mix? 

It didn’t dawn on him until a couple of weeks later that maybe, just maybe, Happy might’ve been right. Though there wasn’t any excess noise, or people taking up more space than necessary, Tony felt like something was missing. Well, he felt that way throughout his entire life, but it ached a little harder the longer he looked around the room and found empty spaces. Making it alone and enjoying it were too things Tony didn’t have much experience distinguishing. His entire life was about making it – a part of him wondered if he even knew what it was to enjoy anything. 

The next time Tony caught Happy on the phone, he brought the topic up himself, the entire thing grating on his nerves as he spoke – anxiety and the slightest bit of hope weighing him down ever so slightly. 

“So – about that dog,” Tony started with a slight hitch in his voice. 

Though, he didn’t make it very far before Happy pipped up, a loud shriek of excitement radiating down the phone line between them. “I knew I could break you down! Tony, you don’t know how great of an idea this is. I told you about the border collie I rescued a few months ago, Rango – I’ve been so much happier since he came barreling into my life.” 

At that point, Tony could do nothing but listen to Happy’s exuberant rambling about the foundation and how much he was going to enjoy every second of the whole experience. Before getting off the phone, Tony finally got to sneak a word in, the slightest hint of affection in his voice. 

“Thanks, Hap – this was a great idea.” 

Of course, when Tony felt that bubble of scorching apprehension sitting in the bottom of his stomach, the thought of telling Happy how good of an idea it was the previous night felt like a distant memory now that he was sitting in the waiting room – twenty minutes and a few pieces of paper between him and a brand new addition to the meticulousness of his life. 

Despite the anxiety about the whole process, finding the dog for him was surprisingly easy. After wringing his hands for what felt like an eternity, Tony was led back to the kennels by a smiling tech, the girl’s hair swinging from one side of her head to the other as she walked. Deciding that the tranquility of the motion was much more soothing, Tony watched the pendulum of it the entire way, his heart slowing down to a manageable level by the time he could hear yips and barks. 

“Alright, Mr. Stark – this is the crew. Our vet and dog trainer, Peter, does a good job with their training, but they get a little excitable when they meet someone new – don’t let it overwhelm you.” The tech said all of this with a smile, her eyes flashing with a certain affection that all dog people shared – there really wasn’t anything like wet doggy kisses and fluff under the palm of his hand. 

Taking a couple of steps into the pin, Tony was immediately swarmed. Though the dogs didn’t try and take him off his feet, each one nudged and pushed in an attempt to get closer to him – all, of course, except one. With his hands down, Tony let his fingers brush against soft fur, the mere contact enough to calm down all of the raging anxiety within him. Using the newfound confidence, Tony pushed through the group until he was standing in front of the one dog that hung back. 

“That’s Bo – he’s our resident shy guy.” 

Tony crouched down then, a soft smile on his face. “Hi, Bo,” he muttered softly, his hand extending so that the back of it was on offer for sniffs and introductions. A soft nose touched his skin a moment later, Bo’s head ducking to take him in. As if something clicked in that small moment of contact, Bo took a few steps forward until his body pressed against Tony, the pressure something collies were known for. Sucking in a breath, Tony let the grin on his face grow – it seemed as if he found his dog. 

The process of getting Bo home wasn’t all that complicated. Since he was a trained service dog, Tony decided to sign up for the training course the foundation’s vet put on – if the dog was trained, the least Tony could do was get on board and train himself, too. The tech shot him a coy smile as she continued to talk up the vet – Tony knew he was missing something but went along with it all the same. Having Bo’s lead pressed into his hands made it all worth it. 

That happened two weeks ago – two weeks in which Tony took a break from his editing duties in a desperate attempt to find a rhythm with his new pal, to fall in line with the demands of not only caring for himself efficiently, but the newest addition, too. It started off a little slow, both Tony and Bo trying to figure out where they fit with each other. Yet, as the days past, Tony felt a sort of comfortability settle between them. Tony liked the warmth pressed against his leg at night and Bo seemed to enjoy the hour long walks they took to taking later in the evening when the sky burst with color and painted the most serene of pictures. 

In fact, things were starting to go so well that Tony completely forgot the dog training courses he signed himself up for. The text message reminder he asked for during the paperwork process reminded him the night before and then again, a few hours before the class was set to take place. At the time, signing up for the training seemed like a good idea. He wanted to know everything he could about Bo’s care, but he didn’t factor in the need to actually get out of his house and make the journey back into the public domain. He already made the monthly pilgrimage to get the dog. 

Still unsure, Tony clicked Bo into his lead and left the house, anyway. He paid the fee to get the information, the least he could do was make an attempt to actually go (even if leaving the comfort of his house physically felt like the most impossible challenge to date). Getting out the door with Bo by his side made it all a little easier, though he hated to admit it. Giving in to the idea would mean that Happy was right; and he hated giving his old friend any sort of kudos, even if he deserved them. 

Grinning with that thought in mind, Tony climbed into the car and let Bo get settled before backing out and making the ten-minute drive into the little town that surrounded his mecca of isolation. In the wintertime, when the roads were covered with snow and ice, the trek was almost impossible (and that was how Tony liked it). With a couple of minutes to spare, Tony relaxed back into the driver’s seat, his head turning to catch Bo’s glance. 

“We can do this, right bud? It’ll be okay. We can survive the masses for a little while.” Tony ran his fingers through soft hair as he spoke. The dog pressed into his hand then, Tony understanding that was as much of an answer as he was going to get. Sucking in a deep breath, Tony nodded, let his fingers pass through Bo’s fur a couple more times, and turned off the car. By the time they got out of the vehicle, Tony was right on time. 

Things were fine until Tony actually walked into the door. Instead of the big group he expected, there were two other dog owners and their pups idling around. There was the smallest bit of chatter happening, but no overwhelming noise like he initially thought there’d be. The front area of the waiting room was transformed into a large empty space, the coffee table and chairs obviously moved elsewhere. The sudden anxiety of being in a crowd dissipated easily; Bo nudged his hand, looking towards the other dogs in the room. 

Before he could get his lead off and release him into the company of the other pups, a door opened, and all of the oxygen was pulled out of the room. When Cindy, the tech he worked with when he first got Bo, mentioned the vet, Tony immediately thought of someone older with graying hair and a soft smile. Instead, he was met with a young man with shoulder length hair, well-kept facial hair, and the brownest eyes Tony could remember ever seeing. They were deep and open, smooth in a way that Tony wanted to dive in and learn all of the secrets kept within them. 

Bo gave a little huff then, Tony’s hand still gripping the dog’s collar (probably very tightly now that the entire world moved the second he saw the most handsome man to ever exist). Loosening his grip, Tony tried to swallow the lump that quickly grew in his throat. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt such an instant connection and immediately cursed Happy for this amazing burst of good fortune. A dog and a handsome man all within the same month – how could he ever handle the load of anxiety and excitement that threatened to overwhelm him? 

Things got started not long after that, the abrupt nature of it allowing Tony to forget about his little dilemma for the entirety of the hour – an hour in which Tony watched Doctor Peter Parker talk about the facets of dog training, the man every so often running a hand through his hair as he spoke about the ins and outs of companion dogs and their mannerisms. By the time the training came to an end, Tony couldn’t decide if he liked Peter’s beauty or the brain that held so much knowledge more. 

After finishing up and getting Bo clipped back into his lead, Tony stood idly around, wondering what the protocol for chatting up the teacher was. Like he understood Tony’s apprehension, Bo pulled him forward, the length of the leash allowing him to get a few steps ahead without Tony noticing. Looking up when he felt the tug, Tony rolled his eyes, a small smirk overtaking his lips. It was like Bo and Happy were conspiring against him – both pushing him in the direction he knew he needed to take. 

Walking after Bo, Tony tried to play it cool when the sexy vet, Dr. Peter Parker, turned and dropped his hand for the dog to smell, a smile slipping across his gorgeous cheeks. 

“Hi, buddy. I heard that you got adopted,” Peter said softly, his words for the dog and dog alone. When he looked up, Tony felt his heart stutter – they’d been within the same proximity all night, this feeling overtaking him each time they so much as caught eyes. With him so close, Tony could see the slightest upturn of his nose and the long lashes that enhanced the deep chocolate of his dreamy eyes. 

“You must be the new owner – I’m happy to see you’re going to keep up his training. Bo’s been one of my best students since he came to stay with us.” Peter paused then, a hand slipping out between them. “I’m Peter – Peter Parker.” 

Without hesitation, Tony gripped Peter’s hand, a shy smile dimpling his cheek, the red of his patented blush filling in the dip of his cheek. “Tony Stark,” he replied softly, his fingers squeezing Peter’s in a snug embrace. “I’m always behind continuing education.” 

The answering grin just about knocked Tony on his ass, Peter’s cheeks crinkling at the corners with the quirk of his lips. “I like the sound of that. Does that mean I’ll see you next week?” He bent down then, running a hand through Bo’s hair – “and this little guy, too.” 

“You bet – I signed up for the weekly course. I’m new to the whole dog owner thing, I thought I should get a little training for myself, too.” Tony felt his blush creep further down his face, his neck now in flames with the moving heat. “I kind of don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Looked okay to me,” Peter said quickly, his eyes flashing with something Tony couldn’t quite pinpoint. “But – I’m committed to making the best out of our dogs and their owners as I can. Take this.” He dug in his pocket for a second before producing a business card, the blocky Doctor Peter Parker across the front apparent and confident, much like the man handing it to him. “Give me a call if you find yourself not knowing what to do. I can make a house call.” 

Unable to keep the dopey grin from overtaking his face, Tony pocketed the card and made up as good of an excuse to leave as he could. Aside from Happy and now Bo, Tony didn’t have many beings he felt comfortable with. Yet, standing in front of Peter those short few minutes, Tony felt good – strong and confident in a way that didn’t happen often – hadn’t happened in such a long time. 

In a desperate attempt to save himself from further embarrassment (and a probable cardiac episode with all of the blood rushing straight to his face), Tony made a hasty exit, Bo’s leash clasped tightly in his hands. 

“I’d say that went pretty well, huh boy?” Tony mumbled in Bo’s direction, his hand burying itself in soft fur as he spoke. 

In his signature style, Bo pressed his body back into Tony’s hand, the movement answer enough. 

\---- 

Over the next couple of weeks, Tony went out of his way to ignore the card sitting on his workshop desk – the shiny block letters of Peter’s name almost taunting him every time they caught his eye. He went to their weekly training sessions, blushed his way through them, and attempted to not make a total fool of himself whenever he got the chance to speak to Peter. With each new time Tony saw the man, his crush got a little more serious – so serious in fact, Tony found himself doodling Peter’s initials all over the draft he needed to edit before the end of the week. 

The childish nature of the feeling inside of him was new – throughout his young life, Tony didn’t have much time to let butterflies settle in his stomach, or impossible feelings overtake him. He was too busy surviving. Now, as a grown ass adult, Tony found himself grinning every time his heart raced, and his palm started to sweat when Peter came to mind. It should’ve rocked him to his core, the idea of wasting brain bytes on anything but the normal – but it didn’t; instead, Tony found himself with more energy and the companionship of a smile he didn’t really know existed. 

By the fourth week of classes, Tony was feeling kind of desperate. He knew walking into the office later that night, Bo would get the best training and in between the commands and tricks, Tony got to have his fill, too. Yet, as the days past and the thoughts of Peter multiplied themselves in his brain, Tony wanted more. Of course he did – Peter’s smile lit up the room and the mere presence of the man, whether in his thoughts or in person, could make all the bad thoughts go away. No one, not even Happy, gave him such a feeling of comfortability. 

Sighing, Tony forced down the thoughts, his brain mentally preparing to pine from a far, instead. With a rare free moment from his editing work, Tony decided to head to the workshop and work on his latest piece of woodwork. Though he kept his name from the business and picked drop-off places far from his home, Tony enjoyed his carpentry immensely – it didn’t hurt that the extra source of income brought him a lucrative cushion in which to fall onto when the book work got a little slow. The habit started as stress relief and managed to stay that way, despite the demand his work continued to foster. 

Since bringing Bo home, the dog would follow Tony down the steep hill into the workshop, his tail wagging furiously the entire time they spent down there. Tony didn’t know what he did to have access to such a level-headed pet, but he was thankful for it – Bo didn’t have many demands and those that did exist were easy to carry out and minimally demanding. Nothing beat the companionship, though – Bo’s presence brought a new element to his life – no matter how reluctant he was to admit it to himself or Happy when he asked for the fiftieth time during their next phone call. 

It took a few minutes for the two of them to get settled in, Tony adjusted the temperature and placed Bo’s bed a little closer to the source of heat. It didn’t hurt that the pup would be within reaching distance if Tony suddenly found the need for comfort, either. When he felt ready, Tony started the soothing rhythm of sanding his latest project – the edges of the table would come together nicely once he finished the little detail work. 

He looked up every so often to make sure Bo wasn’t getting into anything, his eyes moving from one side of the workshop to the other at least a couple times every few minutes. Catching some movement out of the corner of his eye, Tony put down the sander, dusted himself off, and pulled the goggles from his face, a small grin slipping up his cheeks. “What are you up to, Bo?” Tony asked, a curiousness in his voice as he watched the dog walk to the front of the workshop and then back, his snoot down towards the floor until he was suddenly pressed up against Tony. 

Leaning down, Tony ran his hands through the soft fluff on the top of Bo’s head, taking the moment to simply enjoy the feeling of the hair in his hands. As his head was pet, Bo looked up at him, the dog’s purpose of the walk to the front of the room now obvious – Peter Parker’s card was between Bo’s teeth, his slobber making the corners turn in on themselves. 

“Hey, how’d you get that?” Tony gave Bo a cursory pat before taking the card from his mouth, his index finger tracing the raised edges of Peter’s name despite the sticky spit coating the entire thing. Shaking his head, Tony couldn’t help but laugh – in all his years, he never saw such an act of unsubtlety, and he was best friends with the biggest oaf of them all. He flicked the back of the card for a moment, then made a decision – if the dog, who only knew him for a few weeks, thought he needed to do this, the least Tony could do was try. 

“Alright, I get it. I should’ve done this a couple of weeks ago, I know.” 

The answering huff from Bo stole a laugh from his chest, his eyes glowing with affection, despite the apprehension that tried to pull him under as the seconds past. 

Card in hand, Tony pulled out his phone and went about plugging in the number – he couldn’t decide whether he wanted to give Peter a call or simply send him a text message, so he allowed himself to dawdle while he made the final decision. After thumbing out a couple of messages that sounded ridiculous, Tony said fuck it and hastily pressed the audio button. By the time Tony felt the need to back out, the call was three rings in – the sound of Peter’s voice answering on the fourth ring really driving the finality of the situation home. 

“Hi! I hope Siri got it right and this is Tony Stark,” Peter answered cheerily, the few short words already working to drive Tony crazy.

Sucking in a barely audible breath, Tony forced himself to speak, his words coming out rushed for just a moment. “Hi – yeah, it’s me. I mean, Tony Stark. Hi.” 

He slapped himself for the awkwardness, Tony’s heart pounding so damn hard against his chest. “You said I could give you a call if I ever needed any help. Well, I need some help.” The whole thing was lame, and he needed to come up with a problem with the perfect Bo in the mater of moments, but it seemed worth it – Peter’s voice was so warm coming down the line. 

“I did say that and would love to help. Can it wait until I see you this evening? Or should I get in the truck now and head your way?” 

Tony drew his lip between his teeth, hazel eyes looking around the workshop and then down at Bo – his voice stuck in his throat. Coming to his rescue for the hundredth time, Bo leaned his body weight against him, the dog’s cold nose pressing against the back of his hand. Whatever it meant, Tony felt the instant bit of comfort radiating from the collie. “Bo’s been getting into some of the stuff around my workshop. I hoped you could come and decide how to best doggy proof everything.” 

Bo looked up at him then, his body weight still pressing against Tony, his eyes glaring back at him as if he actually understood the words coming out of his mouth. Grinning, Tony gave his pup a soft pat against his head, fingers lingering in the soft fur. Despite the small white lie, Tony felt pretty good about his invitation – in the weeks since getting Bo, he did mean to accident proof a few things in his workshop. Bo didn’t get into things or hadn’t up until that point; but he wanted to feel good about it, anyway. It didn’t hurt that it gave a perfectly good excuse to have Peter come out his way. 

The rhythmic voice of Peter brought him out of his thoughts, Tony catching the tail end of “give me your address and I’ll be right out.”

Shaking himself, Tony managed to babble out his address and the needed directions to get to his driveway after turning off the main road. He hoped, probably for the first time in his life, that this certain someone would find him, despite the self-brought upon isolation. Not everyone could handle his way of living, his need for space, hell – the amount of space he surrounded himself with was an obstacle in and of itself. 

Bo, having sensed the shift in his thoughts, pressed his wet nose against the inside of Tony’s wrist, the sensory shift bringing him back to his workshop, the smell of shaved wood sitting in his nostrils an instant comfort. Looking around, Tony moved a couple of paces to his right, his hands running over the surface of his workspace to brush the sawdust off – the rest of the place was relatively well put together; Tony’s OCD didn’t allow him to keep much clutter when he was working. 

Unable to remain idle while he waited for Peter to arrive, Tony picked up one of his tools and got to work on some of the small detail work at the edge of his almost put together table. The person commissioning the piece liked Celtic knots, so he distracted his nervous belly with the soothing movement of the design flowing from his fingertips. 

It wasn’t until the crunch of tires on the road outside could be heard that Tony came out of his zone – his mind actually feeling clear after his little departure from the there and now. Sucking in a cleansing breath, Tony brushed himself and the table off once more before grabbing Bo’s lead and clipping him in. They stepped out of the workshop right as Peter got down from the cab of his truck, the door closing behind him. 

“This is a gorgeous place,” Peter said, an open and honest smile slipping across his cheeks. His gorgeous eyes roamed over the land he could see, a look of wonder overtaking them. “I’ve never seen such a thickness of trees before.” 

Letting his own smile slip, Tony let Bo pull him forward, the dog leading their way over to where Peter was standing a few feet away. “I had to chop a lot of them down when I first bought the land. Most of what used to stand makes up my house,” Tony replied softly, one of his hands moving to point to the log cabin he built from the ground up. 

“That’s even more impressive. Did you construct everything out here?” By then, his eyes were on his workshop, the size of the building almost the same as the main house. 

“The workshop was the first thing I got up and running. I moved out here about ten years ago – the hustle and bustle of the city was just too much. It’s quiet out here; lots of room to open up and breathe, y’know?” Tony narrowed the distance between them then, their shoulders knocking as the space was filled. “Come on – I’ll give you a tour.” 

As they walked around, Tony told Peter about the process of getting the buildings together and all of the man-hours it took to make everything just right. They looked around the workshop and came up with simple solutions to the doggy-proofing problem, both men more than aware of the rouse Tony used to get Peter there. By the time they made it back to Peter’s truck, several hours were behind them. Tony’s face hurt from the permanent smile that wouldn’t disappear, despite his internal pleading; the last thing he wanted to do was look even more overeager than he already did. Their chemistry was amazing, he wasn’t going to deny that after multiple hours of seamless conversation. 

Without the lead clipped to his collar, Bo walked around them as they milled around Peter’s open truck door, his tail occasionally brushing against Tony’s arm. The small comfort of the contact kept Tony in the moment, his eyes watching Peter’s every move – despite not getting along with most humans, Tony could read them impeccably well; facial expressions and body movements said so many things the individual didn’t. 

Like, for instance, the shuffling of keys from hand to hand, or soulful brown eyes glancing down at Tony’s lips every couple of seconds. From the moment Peter gave him his card and mentioned house calls, Tony understood that there was interest there. Over the last few weeks of attending classes and catching a little bit of conversation before running for dear life, Tony could feel Peter’s attraction growing; the feeling so much like his own that it took until that very moment to separate his want from what he could feel rolling off of Peter. 

In that moment, Tony felt a firmer grasp on what he wanted – what he’d been craving since the very first time he saw the vision that was Peter. Narrowing the space down between them, Tony caught Peter’s eye, his hand reaching to grasp the narrow hip in front of him. Peter nodded at him, the slightest blush rushing to the apple of his cheeks. Tony let his fingers grip the dark blue jeans sitting enticingly on Peter’s hips, the tips of them digging in ever so slightly. 

“Is this okay?” Tony mumbled, the rest of his body already following his hand’s path, all of him so excited to finally feel the press of Peter against him. 

Instead of answering, long fingers made their way into the hair on the back of Tony’s neck, Peter’s nails scraping his scalp slightly – the feeling of it all almost overwhelming. 

Peter closed the space between them, his nose brushing against Tony’s. “I’ve wanted this since the second I saw you – you were so shy, but so gorgeous. Your salt and pepper hair and notice-me-not smile; I’m surprised we made it this long.” Without another word, both men shifted, their lips meeting for what felt like the only kiss that would ever matter to Tony ever again. A soft noise slipped from his chest, the feeling of total contentment too much to keep bottled deep within. Unlike the rest of his feelings, Tony wanted to revel in this one; he wanted to keep it at the forefront and hang on to it for as long and as tightly as he could. 

The way Peter tilted his head to deepen the kiss had Tony moving into his space even more, the needed to have every piece of their bodies pressed together almost too much. Tony let another noise spill from him, the press of chest to chest something he didn’t remember missing. Peter was obviously fit, his jeans hugged his ass and thighs in the best of ways, and the solid color button downs he wore highlighted the narrowness of his hips and the tight chisel of his chest. Yet, Tony hadn’t imagined how right that firmness would feel – how, now pressed together from head to toe, Tony could picture everything between them with clarity. His brain felt fuzzy with the thought (and probably the lack of oxygen, too). Pulling back, he let his lips linger against Peter’s, their breaths harsh and ragged between them. 

The next moment, a shrill bark had them jumping apart, both Peter and Tony looking exasperatedly at the dog currently wagging his tail, looking slightly like the true victor. Tony rolled his eyes, an affectionate huffing breath falling from his lips. 

“You’re right, Bo – it is about time.” 

Tony turned back to Peter then, his hands clenching against the rough jean fabric. “He is right, isn't he?” Tony questioned, the barest look of hope taking up residence in his eyes. 

Grinning, Peter pulled him back into a chaste kiss, their lips barely touching before he pulled away. A soft thumb swept along Tony’s cheek then, the skin barely tickling the edge of day-old stubble. His smile grew when Tony met his eyes, the touch just reassuring enough. 

“He hasn’t been wrong yet.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for sticking it out, y'all! I'm at the point in my writing adventure that getting anything out is the biggest accomplishment - I appreciate you guys taking the time to read my little brain child. 
> 
> As always, join me over on Tumblr (ohwereusingourmadeupnames); I'm always taking prompts and attempting to make new pals! 
> 
> <4


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